Democrats advanced an assault weapons ban through its first legislative committee last night over the objections of Republicans, gun dealers and 2nd Amendment advocates concerned it would ban some of the most popular firearms sold and transferred in New Mexico today.
“This bill represents perhaps the worst mockery of the Second Amendment in state history,” said Senator Jay Block, a Republican from Rio Rancho. He and other Republicans argue the bill will add new burdens to legitimate gun dealers without stopping criminals who, by definition, do not follow laws. Proponents counter that prohibiting the sale of these weapons will limit the number available on the street.
As drafted, as prohibits the sale or transfer of magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition, .50 caliber rifles or cartridges, gas-operated semiautomatic firearms that can accept detachable magazines or hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, and machine guns. It leaves much of the work of identifying other “dangerous” weapons up to future regulators in the state’s Department of Public Safety.
New Mexicans bear a disproportional impact of gun violence, data shows. New Mexico had the 4th highest overall gun death rate in the country and the highest gun homicide rate among Hispanics in the country in 2023, according to the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health which tracks gun violence nationwide. Firearms were also the leading cause of death among young people ages 1-17 in 2023, according to the data.
State Sen. Debbie O’Malley (D-Albuquerque), a sponsor, reminded committee members that she and other elected officials in Bernalillo County had been targets of a failed candidate who shot at her home. Solomon Peña was ultimately sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for those shootings.
Dozens of crime victims and advocates, including many from the group Moms Demand Action to End Gun Violence, filled the committee room opposite gun dealers and shooting sports advocates.
One member of the public, a Native woman who declined to provide her name publicly, spoke about her experience as a domestic violence victim living with an armed abuser in Albuquerque and previously on Native reservations. Christina Gill of Santa Fe explained that during the prosecution of a man charged with killing her son, prosecutors explained that current laws did not allow courts to consider how the shooter, a prohibited felon, obtained the weapon. SB17 includes provisions giving law enforcement access to data to better trace those transfers, sponsors say.
In her State of the State address on the opening day of the session, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham called on legislators to pass an assault weapons ban, despite recently losing a significant challenge to her last signature gun bill, a 7-day waiting period for gun purchases.
To reach the governor’s desk before the end of the session on Feb. 19, the bill must still pass the Senate Judiciary Committee, a full Senate vote and committees and final votes in the House of Representatives.
This will not stand up in court! As usual the Democrats will be wasting our tax dollars in court on failed policies that have been found unconstitutional in other states! Why do they waste time, and money on worthless bills that will not deter crime in any way! The criminals don’t buy guns at dealers, and these politicians know that! There was a 10 year minimum sentence on crime committed with a gun, and most of the time this is dropped in plea agreements!!
While I agree that we need to keep our guns, there is a lot of research that has demonstrated that mass shooting dropped from 1994-2004 when the assault weapons ban was in place. But listen – neither party addresses crime. The roots of crime are poverty and poor education – there is a plethora of evidence to support this. However, neither party wants to address this issue. I wonder why?
My heart goes out to those who have been victims of domestic violence. But those who were victims need to stop treating every law abiding gun owner as if they are potential abusers. if anything, abusers need to fear the victims, so if you care about your well being, buy a gun.
Leftist here: Given the current authoritarian regime in the white house, I now understand the importance of the 2nd amendment. I think banning assault weapons is a terrible idea. We need all the guns to keep this tyrannical government at bay.